Gilas getting better days before FIBA ACQ
EXPECTATIONS for the latest Gilas Pilipinas squad may be high under new coach Tim Cone, but Philippine national team manager Richard del Rosario said they took the training camp as an opportunity to “get everyone in sync” in preparation for the international basketball wars ahead.
The latest Gilas iteration is a mixture of veteran and up and coming players that Cone selected led by seven-time PBA Most Valuable Player and many-time Philippine team member June Mar Fajardo and naturalized player Justin Brownlee.
“Just laying down the foundation of the program and getting everyone in sync with the offensive and defensive systems,” del Rosario told The Manila Times on Sunday.
The team spent another two-aday practice on Sunday, February 18, at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna before heading back to Manila late in the day.
The Filipinos only have a few days to prepare before making their debut in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers 2P25 against Hong Kong on February 22, followed by a match against Taiwan at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City on February 25.
Fajardo, the 6-10 PBA star, though has not joined the team practice as he recovers from a partial muscle tear on his left calf, which he sustained in Game 4 of just-concluded PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals won by San Miguel Beer.
The Cebuano big man is the second casualty for Gilas after AJ Edu, whose spot has been taken by Ginebra veteran Japeth Aguilar.
Cone has yet to announce who will take Fajardo’s spot, if ever the San Miguel slotman fails to play for the team altogether.
Del Rosario confirmed that SMB wingman CJ Perez has already joined the Gilas practice.
The 30-year-old Perez is coming off an impressive run in the import-spiced conference that saw him win the Best Player award, along with the Finals MVP after averaging 18 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in the six-game title series.
Gilas returns to court for its open-to-public practice beginning at 6 p.m. on Monday at the PhilSports Arena.